Improvement in channel-opener for boot and shoe sewing machines



fo. WEEMAN. Sewing-Machin Attachment.

' No. 97,33o.

Patented Nov. 30, 1869.

UNITED ]SrATES PATENT OFFICE,

GRIN WEEMAN, or LYNN, irmssfwHusnfrfrs.if`

IMPROVEMENTIN GHANNEL-0PENER FOR BOOl AND SHOE SEWING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 97,330, dated November30, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORIN WEEMAN, of Lynn, county of Essex, and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improved Ohannel-Opener for use on Bootand Shoe Sewing Machines; and do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompany- 'ing drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows my channel-openerturning the lip of a channel previous to sewing. Figs. 2 and 3 aredetailed views, showing more plainly the peculiar construction of thefootshare and mold-piece ofthe opener.

The object of my invention is to produce a channel-opener to be attachedto sewingmachines for work on boots and shoes in front of the needle, sothat it will turn back the lip of the channel as fast as the sewingrequires, the lip to be turned in such a manner that the grain of theleather will not be broken,

and that will allow the lip to fall back to its place, where it can beeasily stuck down.

The nature of my invention consists in a point or shoulder, which runsin the channel, above which point is a mold-piece, like a plow, made insuch form as to raise and turn the lip of the channel like a furrow,leaving the work free for the needle. The presser-foot is above theopener, in such relation to it that it steadies the opener, the openerbeing attached to the upper part of the presser-foot by a spring. Thisspring allows the easy passage of the opener over uneven places in theleather, While the opener cannot be raised higher than the presser-footwill allow, it being fixed in its position.

At present channels are cut in the soles by channel-machines; but theyare opened by hand, and the lip turned back before the sole is ready forthe sewing-machine.V It is often necessary to hammer the lip back tokeep the channel open. This breaks the grain of the lip, and is a damagelto the sole. It often occurs that the thread, in the process of sewing,will catch the edge of the lip of the channel and sew it down, making abad place in the edge of the sole, or obliging the operator to stop tofree the lip from the thread.'

My improved channelopener overcomes these objections., saving the workof the handopening of the channel, while, by its employment, the channelis opened as fast as required, and in such a'mannerthat there is nodanger of thread catching the lip of the channel, nor of breaking thegrain of the leather, while the work is done with more satisfaction tothe operator, and the result is a heater and more serviceable shoe orboot.

Practical experience has taught me the advantages of using achannel-opener upon the sewing-machine.

In the drawings, A is the presser-foot of a sewing-machine, the toe abeing adapted to use with my improved channel-opener, instead of beingformed as usual. B is a spring-arm, attached at F to presser-foot A, andextending fromF along the foot A a little beyond the toe a. At the lowerpart of this arm B is a shoulder or projection, c, which, when themachine is in operation, runs in the channel E of the sole S. This keepsthe opener in place, and preserves a steadiness of the whole. Back ofand above the shoulder c is the share or opener H d, which runs underthe lip of the channel, andv as it extends upward forms the mold-pieced, which turns the lip up and over sufficiently to clear it from theneedle of the machine.

The shoulder c,which has corrugations on its face to prevent itsslipping, may be longerthat is, it may extend from c to H, Fig. 2, orpart of the way-but the form shown is convenient in use.` The form ofthe mold-piece may be varied, but it will be found that the shape shownwill accomplish the purpose sought.

The spring-arm keeps the shoulder c in the channel at all times,whereas, if the opener was formed on the foot A, it would be lifted outof the channel by the motion of the machine. This spring-movement 'maybe introduced in different waysfor instance, by joint in thepresser-foot, and spring attached, or by spring in the rod above thepresser-foot; but the movement would be the same as produced by thedevices shown-that is, the dragging 1. Thespring-arm B,attached tothepresserchannel-opener and the presser-foot A, subfoot of asewing-machine,- as shown, and havstantially asset forth. ing shoulderor point c and share or mold-piece In testimony whereof 1 have signed myd H, substantially as herein set forth. name to this specification inthe presence of 2. A channel-opener formed by the combitwo subscribingwitnesses. nation of spring-arm B, shoulder or point c, ORIN WEEMAN. andshare or mold-piece d H, substantially as Witnesses: set forth. CARROLLD. WRIGHT,

3. The combination of the abovedescribed y AUSTIN S.HOWAR'1H.

